Huayao is a unique clan of the Yao ethnic group.Huayao literally means"Flowery Yao".It got the name presumably because women in the clan villages are all gorgeously dressed.
The marriage customs of the Huayao people are among the oldest ones with most distinctive characteristics in the world.There's no female matchmaker.Instead,a talkative,knowledgeable,and respected man is selected to propose a marriage.Commonly called"Matchmaker Master",the typical image of the marriage proposer is a man holding a folded oilpaper umbrella.At the wedding,guests play the leading roles.The bridegroom helps do some chores or carries some gifts with a pole as a member of the marriage procession.On the wedding night,the bride is supposed not to go inside the bridal chamber.Instead,she should sit alone in the main room without eating or drinking until the end of the joyous and roaring night.
From marriage proposal to wedding ceremony,there are a lot of over-elaborate formalities.The most captivating activities are the holy and crazy trilogy of"mud fight","frying the cogongrass"(a kind of prank)and"datao"(lap sitting).
